The Community Thrift Shop in Huntington sells a variety of treasures from women’s and men's clothing and shoes, pocketbooks, picture frames, jewelry, books and more.

By Janee Lawjlaw@longislandernews.com

Tucked away in a corner on New York Avenue in Huntington is the Community Thrift Shop, a supporter of community nonprofits, and a treasure trove filled with items dating back to the early 1900s.

“I think that it’s a wonderful way to recycle and give back to the community with our agencies,” Cissy Moffatt, president of the Community Thrift Shop board of directors, said. “It’s a fun place to be and our customers are wonderful.”

The 274 New York Ave. shop sells both men's and women's clothing and shoes, along with accessories and items like pocketbooks, picture frames, jewelry and books.

About 100 volunteers from agencies like CancerCare of Long Island, Family Service League, Visiting Nurse Service & Hospice, auxiliary of Huntington Hospital, Planned Parenthood and Daytop Village, Inc., donate their time to help operate the shop.

Moffatt, who’s also a member of the Visiting Nurse Service & Hospice, said, “It’s a wonderful place to come to when you’re having parties or holidays because you can get platters, dishes and glasses.”

The shop opened in 1964 and was incorporated a year later. After changing locations several times, including from Main Street to East Carver, the shop moved to New York Avenue in the mid 2000s.

Customers typically visit from as close as the township, and as far as Queens, said Harriet Miller, treasurer of the board of directors, and a member of the Huntington Hospital. Customers come in several times a week to check out what’s new in the shop, Miller said.

When making a donation, funds raised from selling each item go to one of the six agencies that the donor selects on the donation slip. Volunteers then move the items to pricing station, where every item is priced based off a manual.

Items that profit an agency are marked with different color tags so that those buying the product know which agency they’re benefiting.

However, Moffatt said that ripped clothing and metal items are not sold at the shop but do not get thrown away, giving ripped clothing to Big Brothers Big Sisters, and metal items to Gershow Recycling.

Long Islander News photos/Janee Law

Community Thrift Shop has about 100 volunteers through six different agencies, CancerCare of Long Island, Family Service League, Visiting Nurse Service & Hospice, auxiliary of Huntington Hospital, Planned Parenthood and Daytop Village, Inc.

Joe Garone, of Daytop Village, has been volunteering with the shop for six years and said one of the most interesting item that was brought to the shop was several newspapers dating back to Nov. 22, 1963, when President John F. Kennedy was assassinated.

“I bought them immediately,” he said. “It’s a record of what happened that day seen from major newspapers across the country.”

Volunteering at the shop for more than 25 years, Moffatt said they’re an embracing group who enjoy what they do for the community.

Community Thrift Shop274 New York Ave., Huntington631-271-4883Thethriftshopper.com